I Need Some Lovin'
by Scarlett Cheri
Summary: A Hiei x OC! Yui is a mermaid demon that left her secluded home in search for her parents. Because eating mermaid flesh will exponentially boost the spirit energy, her life is in constant danger. Especially so since debuting as a singer in front of the Dark Tournament stage. Spirit World has assigned her a guard in the form of Hiei, but will he protect her or leave her to die?
1. Chapter 1: Debut

Hello! This is my newest story that I just felt like writing all of a sudden! (I was inspired by the song in the intro) I hope you like it!

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><p><em>Ooh, I need somebody to calm me down<em>

_A little loving like Valium_

_I need somebody to knock me out_

_I need some loving like_

_Ooh, I don't know what I'm running from_

_But when the sun comes up it won't be long_

_I need some loving like Valium_

_I need some loving like_

_(Katy B -5AM T & Sugah Remix)_

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><p>The cheers from the stands roared throughout the stadium. I stood in the center of the ring with my chest heaving and sweat sliding down in rivulets. My temporary band group was assembled behind me as they were showered with praise. The mic in my hand was starting to slip from sweat that beaded my palms as multiple stage lights beat down on us from above. I felt like my scales would cook under this abuse. I would have to talk with my manager Toya about this, but the adrenaline washed away all other complaints.<p>

My smile stretched from ear to ear when I bowed for the crowd as they only cheered louder. The announcer Koto was having trouble getting their attention again, "Okay! Wow! That was amazing, ladies and gentlemen! I don't think my fox ears have heard a voice as _enchanting_ as that in a long time! What do you all think?!" The crowd screamed their approval.

"Alrighty! We'll have to make her come back at the end because that was _beautiful! _But for now! Let's get ready for the _5th Dark Tournament!_" The screams roared back with vengeance again as I made my way back towards the caster's rest area waving to my newest fans. Toya greeted me at the entrance and I jumped into his arms.

"You were amazing!" Toya congratulated, twirling me in a circle. I squealed.

"Thank you!" I smiled as Toya put me down, "It's all thanks to you that I can finally sing in front of this crowd."

"Such a beautiful voice doesn't deserve to be hidden away. C'mon, your guard arrived.." Toya patted my back and lead me into the halls of the stadium.

"Oh, do I get to sing again at the end? Koto was saying something about that." I asked excitedly while the adrenaline began to fade.

"I heard the committees having a talk about that right now." Toya smiled, "If we're lucky, then you're going on back."

"I can't wait!" I squealed again, as Toya opened the door to my personal waiting room. Inside, I was met with a less-than-chipper boy slightly shorter than me with spiked long black hair. He stared at us emotionlessly with his arms crossed over his chest leaning against the table. For some reason, I had the feeling that he hates me…

"Hello! My name is Yui! I'm a mermaid demon! It's nice meeting you!" I smiled widely, reaching out a hand. He didn't move, only looked down at my hand like it was dirty. I mean, _sure_ it's kind of still sweaty from the stage, but it's not like I can't shake hands or anything. My face fell.

"Hiei." He replied clipped.

Toya sighed, "Well, this is your new guard from Spirit World. I thought Koenma sent the best, but…we'll have to make do."

I pouted, "What is with your attitude? Someone's greeting you and this is the way you reply?"

He surprisingly replied instead of ignoring me, "Trust me, Koenma sent the best. I'm wasting my precious time with the likes of you, so I suggest you wash out your mouth before I decide to 'accidentally' fail my mission and let you die." _This unbelievable son of a…!_

"You little shrimp!" I glared, about to pummel this guy when Toya's arms came around and held me back.

"Yui! Stop it! C'mon, we're on the same sides here." Toya tried reasoning.

"Same side my _ass_! Didn't you just hear him? He'll '_accidentally'_ leave me to die!" I struggled.

"The feeling is mutual. I would not want to be on the same side as a violent, _empty-headed_ sorry excuse for a women like you." Hiei hned, mirror my glare as he walked past me to the door.

"You SHRIMP! GET BACK HERE!" I screamed, waving my fists in the air. He ignored me as he disappeared from the doorway and the door swung shut with a loud SLAM. Toya finally released me.

I turned on him in rage, "Are you on _the shrimp's_ side too?!" I glared.

Toya held his palms up as if to say not to attack him, "We're all on the same side!"

I growled and plopped down on the plastic chair in front of the make-up table. I glared as I worked through my long ankle lengthed hair that had gotten tangled while I was on stage. _What a complete mood killer._ I thought angrily. I repinned the pearl head piece back to the side of my hair and admired my handiwork. The white pearls really stuck out from my wavy aquamarine hair. Some dark strands fell just to the side of my eyes, framing my black lashes set on white alibaster skin. My deep purple eyes were practically criminal as I giggled quietly to myself. Yes, I was partly narcissistic. If anyone had my killer looks, they would be too.

I sighed as my mood instantly turned better. _How could someone _not _be mesmerized by my beautiful face and charm? That shrimp! I swear he'll regret it!_ I hmphed again at the memory of the jackass. I smirked. _It will take a lot more than that to ruin my debut day! _

Toya brought me reeling back into reality again, "You have to be careful though, Yui. I'm sure most of the demons know what you are by now." My smile dropped a few levels.

"If you aren't careful-

I cut him off abruptly, "I know!" I snapped, a little meaner than I had intended. The subject was just a touchy topic for me. I am a mermaid demon. Aside from being the best water demons and best singers, our endangered race is almost completely extinct because it is widely known that consuming our flesh and blood will increase one's spirit energy and life. We've nearly been hunt into extinction when our ancestors found the Ghost Lake, the perfect place for mermaids to live.

The Ghost Lake is just to the north of the Demon World, a gigantic lake that spans for hundreds of miles. Deep inside the lake is an underwater cavern of sorts that can only be reached if you're a mermaid. Even other water demons can't descend that deep. Even if they did, they'd never find the cavern. The Ghost Lake is also famous for its fog-like miasma that exudes from the plants on the shallow end, giving it its name. The last layer of defense is the turbulent water. Because of its massive size, the water moves like the sea; tidepools are common and often lethal to water demons. Mermaids happen to be the only water demons capable of surviving in the Ghost Lake hence it is sometimes also known as the Mermaid Lake. There my nearly extinct ancestors have procreated and our clan is much larger than it was before. Inbreeding became common, and my mate was supposed to be Senya, my first cousin. That is, before I decided to leave home.

My mother was captured by a human to be farmed for her blood after she just gave birth to me. My father raised me until I was 7 before he left to find my mother. No one has heard from them since. 43 years later, when I have finally come of age to marry, I decided that I needed to find my parents. Senya said he would wait for me, but everyone knew that I would most likely not make it home alive. And that was the start of my tragic childhood turned idol.

I met Toya while I was traveling and he recognized me as a mermaid. He fell in love with my voice and offered to help me find my parents if I promised to be an idol for the demon world entertainment agency that he ran. I figured it was better than walking around aimlessly searching for my parents, so I agreed. After a few months of preparations, I am here now.

Toya brought my thoughts back to the present with a hand to my shoulder, "Come on, let's check out the tournament. They gave us VIP seats." He said with a smile. I nodded meekly, unable to rid my mind of the constant threat that I could be captured and eaten or worse, farmed for blood like lifestalk. Toya walked us towards the VIP seat when a stage manager stopped him.

"Oh! There you are, Mr. Toya! The committee has some details they want to smooth over with you. Please! Come with me!" The little ogre demon rushed.

"Can't this wait?" Toya argued.

"I was told that it is urgent." The ogre moved from foot to foot like he was in a hurry. Toya sighed and nodded before turning to me.

"Go on without me." Toya smiled, "I'll be there right after I finish the business with the committee. It might be a very nice offer." He winked. I forced a smile. The demon hurried Toya away and I was left alone in the long maze-like hallways. I heft a sigh and tried to remember which way was to the VIP seats.

After awhile of directionless wandering, I realized I had walked into a work-out room of sorts for the dark tournament entrees. Three bulky demons were sparring when my heeled boots announced my presence. They turned me to with a glare and immediately recognized who I was. Their glares turned to smirks as they approached me like a hunter stalking its prey. Somehow I had the feeling they didn't just want my autograph…

"Um! Sorry for intruding! I just...couldn't find my way to the seats…" I tried anyway as they advanced while I backed towards the door. A cackle from behind me alerted me to more of their friends as I backed towards the adjacent wall.

"Lucky us. It's the mermaid demon." One of the demons sneered.

"I heard if you eat a mermaid, you raise two power level classes." Another one cackled.

"Perfect timing. Our match is next." One of his demon friends laughed.

My back hit the wall. I was seriously going to be screwed. These weren't low leveled demons either. I could feel their spirit energy and it drummed against my aura like a damn heater. I wasn't too bad a fighter myself, but at best I was only upper C class. These guys one-on-one were my level, but I was outnumbered five to one. _Fuck…_

"Um, that's just a rumor...it's totally not true." I smiled nervously.

"Well, we'll see won't we." The demons snickered. I was seriously screwed.

I took a deep breath and let out an ear-bleeding shriek that echoed against the walls of the training room. The demons covered their ears as they were momentarily crippled by the sound wave. I took that moment to run for the door, praying I would make it in time. A clawed hand grabbed my arm as I ran past him, ripping my shirt and leaving three claw marks on my skin. I ran anyway, clutching my useless left arm. Before I could get to the door, one of the demons instantly appeared in front of me with a glare and smacked me away, sending me flying backwards to his other friends as they all recovered from the sound wave. They surrounded me from all sides as I cradled my bleeding arm. The one who clawed me licked his fingers and trembled.

"Oh, the power in her blood! The rumors are true!" He smirked. His friends turned to me, saliva dripping from their half-parted gaping mouth. Suddenly, I noticed a half finished water bottle on the bench against the far wall. I immediately reached an outstretched hand pointed to the bottle. The water exploded from the plastic container and flew towards me, slicing through the arm of the demon closest to me as it flew past him.

The others backed away a little, but still not deterred as their prize stood behind the water. I willed the water to be sharper than a blade and sent it slicing out another demon. He jumped out of its reach, but the water sliced his chest. I had meant to slice him in half. I tsked.

Glaring to face off against the demons, I readied the water, hoping it would finally scare them off. If they all jumped me at the same time, I was done for.

"The next person that steps closer will be sliced in half." I grimaced. They glared, but didn't make a move to come closer.

"C'mon let's all jump her. Her little bit of water can't kill us all." One of the smarter demons smirked. _Crap!_ _Why can't they all just be brainless muscle?_

His friends smirked and readied to lunge. I sent the water out to slice at the nearest one. He tried using his arm to block it, but his arm came off instead. As he screamed, his friends lunged and I squeezed my eyes shut as I was finally out of luck.

When nothing hit me, I opened one eye to find that the demons had been reduced to chunks of cleanly diced meat around me in a puddle of blood and meatier chunks. I had the sudden urge to empty my lunch in the carpet but managed to hold it all back. I looked up, semi-green, at my rescuer only to find the shrimp with his sword drawn and covered in demon gore. He was surprisingly spotless while I was covered in the aftermath.

I think it was my loss of words or the overall stupified expression, but Hiei finally spoke, "Hurry up, how long do you plan to stand there like a walking target?"

I stumbled out of the body parts towards Hiei. I felt a squish under my foot and saw that I had stepped on the partial brain of one of the demons. I fell forward onto Hiei and he turned around to catch me just as I could no longer hold back the bile and my lunch came out shooting in a yellow stream right onto Hiei's tunic.


	2. Chapter 2: Lullaby for a Stormy Night

I curled up against the couch in my waiting room as my stomach finally settled down with the victim of my...humiliation showering in the room next door. The events of the last hour came flooding back to me with a groan.

_The contents of my lunch was now completely painted over Hiei's shirt as he looked down at the mess completely speechless and frozen. He had probably never been thrown up on before...To make matters worse, a dizzy spell followed suit and I fell to my knees unable to keep standing in which I heaved the leftover contents of my stomach onto the floor. Hiei was still standing over me, the expression on his face...I would have found it a lot funnier under different circumstances. When I could no longer throw up anymore, I had figured that Hiei had long left in a huff of anger, but his hands came down and lifted me effortlessly to his chest, being careful to cradle me in the fetus position, afraid to upset my stomach again. He navigated the maze-like corridors like it was his home and arrived in front of my waiting room in no time at all. He laid me down onto the couch and left without another word. The sound of water turning on in the opposite room told me where he was. _

I sighed. He totally hated me now. I cradled my pulsating head in my hands. _Just why was I so weak? Well sure it's not everyday I see demons get turned into minced meat in front of my eyes, but I mean, I'm a demon for god's sake! I've really got to get my act together_.

As if he heard me, his voice echoed from the open door, "Are you even a demon?"

I turned to face Hiei with an apologetic smile, "Hey! Thanks for saving me…" His hair was still wet with a towel hanging over it. He had stripped off his tunic, which was still covered in my lunch, so he was topless. Luckily, his pants were fine and he was still wearing them. It was now that he was nude that I saw how muscled his small body was. I had called him a "shrimp" but as I traced the scars with my eyes and the toned body, I realized just how much stronger he was than I am.

"I'm sorry." I hung my head.

"Just what kind of life have you been living so far? Are you some pampered princess?" Hiei glared.

"I already said I'm sorry." I turned away, suddenly not so apologetic anymore.

"I am protecting you because Koenma ordered me to. Give me any more reason to believe that your life is useless, and I will leave you. Are we clear?" He said coldly. I felt a hot stinging around my eyes and I forced myself to stare at the carpet because any movement, a single blink, would spill my stinging humiliation for him to see. And that was the _last_ thing I wanted. I would _not_ give him the pleasure of watching his words cut straight home and carve out a part of me that even I kept asking myself. _Just what is my life worth anyway?...I'm just a weak lower class demon that can't even protect myself against low lives. I'm so far away from home...Like a fish out of water..._

Hiei left as noiselessly as he had came. When I noticed that he was gone, I scrubbed at my eyes, successfully smearing the rest of the eyeliner and mascara that Toya had so expertly drawn on. Gazing into the mess of a girl inside the mirror, I yanked a few make-up remover sheets from a little plastic box and wiped away the rest of the black. By the time Toya opened the door, I was already halfway done drawing back on the make-up.

"Yui!" Toya rushed in breathlessly as if he had just finished running a marathon, "Are you okay?!"

I turned to him with a smile, _at least someone was happy to see me today, _"Ya, I'm fine."

"When you weren't at the seats, I went to find you and passed by Hiei. He told me what happened." Toya sat down with a relieved thud in the chair next to me, "Are you feeling better now? I heard you threw up."

I grimaced, "Not a moment I want to remember. Rather, I need help with this stupid eyeliner. I can't make it even!" Toya took the eyeliner pencil with a smile.

"You almost got killed and you're worrying about your make-up." Toya scolded softly, turning my chin to face him and began drawing on the eyeliner with a steady hand.

"That's me! Yui the brave!" I laughed softly, careful to not move my face too much.

Hiei's voice came out of nowhere again, "Yui the Foolish is more accurate."

I tried to glare at the direction his voice was coming from without moving my eyelids. Toya frowned and I turned my eyes back to him, "You're really just a plain jerk aren't you?"

"I must say it took you quite awhile to figure that out." Hiei replied, stepping into my view. He had swiped a black stage outfit jacket from somewhere. It was what back-up performers might wear; something that resembled a parka and a trench coat. His hair was already dry. Maybe he had swiped a hair dryer too. The thought of Hiei using a hair dryer sent me into a fit of giggles that I tried holding back for Toya's sake, who still worked at my eyes, now applying the mascara. Toya frowned at me. I bit my lip to hide the laughter.

As if Hiei could hear what I was thinking, he replied in a huff, "I did _not _use the hair dryer!" He nearly snarled, but I saw a pinkish blush had started to appear on his cheeks. _How _did _he know what I was thinking anyway?_ I frowned mulling over the fact. The image of Hiei showering suddenly popped back into my head as I remembered his toned body. My gaze traveled back to his clothed figure and something akin to disappointment drifted through my mind. I saw him smirk.

"Keep your fantasies in check, woman." Hiei reclined against the couch behind me. I suddenly blushed bright red. _He can read my thoughts?!_

"Yes I can." He replied stoicly.

I stood up so abruptly that Toya nearly poked my eye out with the mascara brush, "Stay out of my head!" I glared at Hiei. I heard his laugh echo inside my head and saw his snide little smirk as he lounged on the couch when I drew back my fist and rocketed it towards his stupid little sneer. Sadly, his hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist inches away from his nose. I growled as I tried to connect through, but his strength was several times mine.

"Nice try." Hiei smirked, his lips only growing wider. I growled my frustration.

"You are _unbelievable!_" I screamed, as he disappeared out the door with another snide laugh echoing behind him.

I was unloading my frustrations onto Toya as we entered the VIP seating area. Hiei was lounging against the wall when I passed him. I stuck out a tongue and thought loudly in my head, _Die! Dickhead!_ He only smirked again. Oh how I wanted to knock that smile from his face...

Toya ushered me to our seats with another sigh and I plopped down angrily. The announcer immediately drew my attention away from the little devil, "Welcome back demons and demonesses! Did you all have a good intermission?" She paused as the crowd started cheering.

She continued, "I hope you all had a chance at the concession bar because those spicy twizzlers really do pack a wallop! Now, who wants the next match to start?!" The crowd let out another jumbled scream.

"What? I can't hear you!" She taunted the crowd. They went wilder.

"Now, the moment you've all been waiting for...Team Arashi versus Team Kirito!" She screamed, and the crowd only screamed louder. I found myself smiling. The two teams appeared from their respective corridors in two big puffs of smoke for effect. The two teams each waved at the audiences. Team Arashi looked human while Team Kirito was comprised of more demonly bits. Team Kirito definitely looked stronger.

A scoffing hmph sounded from behind my chair and I swiveled around in my seat to find Hiei standing there with his arms crossed. I glared.

"You'll need to get your eyes checked on top of your brain." Hiei spouted more insults.

"What? You think that puny little Team Arashi is going to win?" I laughed. Team Kirito was definitely the crowd favorite as well. They were chanting _Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!_

"Try not to judge people's strengths based on their appearances." Hiei smirked. I was suddenly reminded that Hiei didn't look like much either. Even so, Team Kirito was the clear win.

"Fine! Let's have a bet." I taunted, "If I win, you're my dog for a day."

Hiei suddenly reached over and grabbed my chin, forcefully turning me to face him, "And if _I _win, you're my slave." He smirked.

"Fine!" I hmphed, suddenly feeling not so confident anymore. I shook my head. _It doesn't matter. Team Kirito will stomp. They're practically twice Arashi's size!_ _This one's in the bag_! _I am going to have _so _much fun putting stupid Hiei in his place!_

We both watched as the first fighters came onto the stage. Team Arashi's fighter seemingly instantly sliced Team Kirito's arms off. His head followed shortly after. I sat in stunned silence and sneaked a peak sideways at Hiei. _Oh shit..._ His evil grin only got wider as I realized he could read my thoughts still. _They got lucky this round!_

"Hmph. Even you know that wasn't luck." Hiei replied. I bounced in my seat agitated as the next two fighters stepped into the ring. Team Kirito started off slashing and sending a barrage of attacks at Team Arashi who seemed to be on the defense, but suddenly, Team Arashi's fighter called down a ginormous fireball from air and the ball instantly incinerated the other fighter to ashes. I bit my lip. _Oh I am so screwed..._ I heard Hiei's laugh in my head again. _I will let you withdraw from your bet with an apology._ I fumed. What an arrogant prick! Just because he guessed right!

"This is why I told you to get your eyes checked. Their spirit energies are on a whole different level." Hiei gloated.

"I'm not withdrawing! It's just a bet! If I lose, I lose with pride!" I pouted angrily.

The third matchup ended much the same way the first two did. Team Arashi was truly on a whole different level, as Hiei had said, much to my hatred. When Team Arashi's victory was officially announced by the announcer, I hung my head.

"Fine. I'm your slave for a day." I sighed defeated.

"A day? I don't remember saying only a day." Hiei turned to me with a superior smirk.

"What?" I was suddenly alert.

"It seems your memory as lacking as well." Hiei sighed, "I said, 'If I win, you're my slave.'" I blanked out, trying to remember as the memory came back to me.

"You tricked me!" I suddenly remembered that he had said exactly that, "I only said a day so I thought yours was-

"Being a sore loser now?" Hiei laughed, "I thought if you were going to lose, you were going to lose with pride?"

_This little devil! He's the damn devil incarnate! Shrimp tricked me! _I cursed furiously.

"You only have yourself to blame." Hiei replied, "As promised, from now on, you are my slave." I could only glare at my "master".

"I must say, even for a slave you are lacking. Oh well, do try to be useful." He smirked. If anger equaled spirit energy, I'm pretty sure I could've squashed him with my pinky.

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><p>Later that night, I was stripping my nightgown ready to sleep in the nude as I preferred, when Hiei's voice sounded in my head. <em>Come here.<em>

I thought angrily back. _Save it for tomorrow. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep._

_Now._ His voice echoed loudly. _Are you going back on what you promised already? Seems like you're giving up on your pride as well as-_

I cut him off. _Okay! Okay! I'm coming you impatient, loudmouthed, insulting, shrimp of a devil._ I heard him laugh again.

"Glad I'm just amusing the hell out of you today." I mumbled under my breath as I squirmed back into my nightgown.

I knocked on Hiei's door and opened it without waiting for his approval and marched in to see Hiei completely nude. Immediately, I shot around.

"P-Put some clothes on! Who the hell sleeps nude?!" I hissed embarrassed.

He laughed, "You do."

I panicked, "You- You better not have seen anything!" I stammered.

"Trust me, I have no interest in human women, especially not someone with a pair of mosquito bites." He replied monotonously.

My cheeks blazed, "You little prick!" I swiveled around, ready to pummel the insensitive bastard only to see that he had only draped the covers over his groin. My face burned hotter as I looked away. He chuckled, almost as if he didn't have an ice cube for a heart.

"What do you want?" I hissed angrily at the wall.

"You're my slave. I've decided to inspect the merits of my property." He lounged against the bed.

"Who's your property." I grumbled to myself.

He ignored me, "Sing."

I turned to glare at him, "You called me here in the middle of damn night because you want me to _sing?"_

"It's all that you're good for." Hiei smiled, reclining into the propped up pillows. I sighed, unable to argue. I truly wasn't good for much else.

"What do you want me to sing?" I asked defeated. He was silent for a moment, thinking, then turned to me.

He smirked, "A lullaby."

I scoffed, "What are you, 5?"

"I've never had the pleasure of listening to a lullaby while falling asleep. I've decided that I will experience it today." He smiled at me. I was silent. Even though my parents were both gone, when I was little, my father or my aunt would take turns singing lullabies to me almost every night. When they had to fight off the intruders, Senya would take their place at my bedside and comfort me with his songs while we prayed for their safe return. For him to have never heard a song of comforting...I felt a pang of sadness.

"My childhood wasn't as pure as yours." Hiei replied. I immediately cleared my head and began singing. In hopes that maybe my songs can make up for, even if a little, the absence of love in his heart.

_Little child, be not afraid_

_The rain pounds harsh against the glass_

_Like an unwanted stranger_

_There is no danger_

_I am here tonight_

_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_Though thunder explodes_

_And lightning flash_

_Illuminates your tearstained face_

_I am here tonight_

_And someday you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_And forests and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning_

_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_The storm clouds mask your beloved moon_

_And its candlelight beams_

_Still keep pleasant dreams_

_I am here tonight_

_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_The wind makes creatures of our trees_

_And the branches to hands_

_They're not real, understand_

_And I am here tonight_

_And someday you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_And forest and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning_

_For you know, once even I_

_Was a little child_

_And I was afraid_

_But a gentle someone always came_

_To dry all my tears_

_Trade sweet sleep the fears_

_And to give a kiss goodnight_

_Well, now I am grown_

_And these years have shown_

_Rain's a part of how life goes_

_But it's dark and it's late_

_So I'll hold you and wait_

_'til your frightened eyes do close_

_And I hope that you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_And forests and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning_

_Everything's fine in the morning_

_The rain will be gone in the morning_

_But I'll still be here in the morning_

_(Vienna Teng - Lullaby for a Stormy Night)_


End file.
